Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 55
CHAP. LV.
VERSE 1. HO every one that thirſteth, come ye to the Waters, &c.] Having in the foregoing Chapter foretold the exceeding great happineſs of the Church of Chriſt; here God, the Fountain of living Waters, Jer. 2.13. calleth and inviteth poor Sinners to come in and accept of thoſe precious benefits, which in Chriſt were there promiſed to his Church and People. And in the manner of ſpeech here uſed, there ſeems to be an alluſion to the cuſtom of crying in the Streets of a City, the ſeveral proviſions that are to be ſold in ſuch and ſuch places, Ho, every one that thirſteth, come ye to the Waters, and he that hath no money, &c. For the underſtanding whereof, we muſt know, 1. That by every one that thirſteth (under which hunger alſo is comprehended, as appears by the following words, come ye, buy and eat, though thirſt be only mentioned as the moſt vehement and inſufferable deſire of the twain) is meant every one that thirſteth after true happineſs; or more expreſly, all thoſe that being convinced of their ſinful and miſerable condition by Nature, are extreamly afflicted therewith, and do thereupon vehemently deſire reconciliation with God, comfort and Life Eternal, and whatever may tend to the ſatisfying of theſe wants and deſires of their Souls. So that it is clear, that thoſe that are full, fully ſatisfied with their own righteouſneſs, and deſiring no other, or fully glutted with earthly things, ſo as never to mind any thing better, cannot be the Perſons that are here invited; becauſe ſuch will never mind that Spiritual refreſhing that is here tendered, being like thoſe that are ſo puffed up with Wind, that though they want nouriſhment, yet they have no Stomach to eat any thing: 2. That by the Waters, to which they are here invited, (and ſo likewiſe the Wine and Milk and Bread afterward mentioned) is meant, that ſuperabundant Grace which is tendered to the Church, in the days of the New Teſtament, above what they enjoyed formerly; namely, Chriſt held forth to Men in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, as having accompliſhed the work of Mans Redemption, together with all the gifts and precious benefits, which he hath purchaſed for poor Sinners, his merits and righteouſneſs, the ſanctifying Graces of his Spirit, and in a word, all things tending to the Spiritual Life, the comfort and ſatisfying of the deſires of Mens Souls here, and to their Eternal Life and Salvation hereafter. But ſee the Notes, Chap. 12.3. and 41.17, 18. See alſo Matth. 5.6. and Joh. 7.37. 3. That by coming to theſe Waters is meant, the poor Sinners accepting and imbracing of Chriſt by a true and a lively Faith, together with all the precious benefits, that are tendered in Chriſt: For ſo is this explained by Chriſt, Joh. 6.35. He that cometh to me ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me ſhall never thirſt. 4. That by theſe words, And he that hath no Money; come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy Wine and Milk without Money and without price, to wit, any thing given in exchange for them, inſtead of Money; I ſay, hereby is not ſo much meant, as I conceive, that the Poor are invited to come as well as the Rich; as that all are invited to come freely, and to accept of that Mercy and Life that is tendered in Chriſt, though they are nothing, though they have nothing, and can do nothing towards the obtaining of this bliſs and happineſs, even thoſe that are moſt ſenſible of their Spiritual Poverty and Indigency in this regard. The ſame that was before meant by coming to the Waters, is here again meant by buying Wine and Milk, only it is expreſſed by theſe other kinds of Food, to imply the ſweet and comfortable refreſhing that Men ſhall find in this Spiritual Food; and that all good that Sinners can want or deſire, is to be had in Chriſt, and that there is proviſion for all ſorts of People; Milk for Children, and Wine for thoſe that are of grown years; yea, and that they ſhall have as ſure an intereſt in what is tendered without Money and without Price, as if they had bought it. And, 5. That by the frequent repeating and urging of this Invitation is implyed, both Mens backwardneſs in accepting the Grace here tendered them, and Gods earneſtneſs that they ſhould be perſwaded and won to accept it.
Ver. 2. Wherefore do ye ſpend Money for that which is not Bread, &c.] That is, That which is not true Food; See the Note, Chap. 3.1. and your labour, that is, the Money you have gotten by your labour, for that which ſatisfieth not, that is, that which will neither aſſwage your hunger, nor nouriſh you, and cauſe you to live. It is, as if he had ſaid, Why do you ſo eagerly purſue, ſparing neither coſt nor labour, that which will no way profit you? that is, that which will afford no furtherance for the obtaining of that Soul-ſatisfying bliſs and happineſs, which in Chriſt is tendered to you: And hereby is meant, 1. The greedy purſuit of the things of the World, which a Man is not ſure to obtain, and cannot long hope to enjoy, and which whilſt he doth enjoy them, cannot ſatisfie the thirſt and deſires of his Soul, nor make him happy. 2. All ſtrictneſs and diligence in falſe ſuperſtitious Will-worſhips, which would provoke God to diſpleaſure inſtead of pleaſing him, and were never like to bring them to Life Eternal, Matth. 15.9. And, 3. All falſe Doctrines, concerning the way of attaining Gods favour here, and Eternal Life and Happineſs; ſuch as that of the Scribes and Phariſees, of Mens being ſaved by their own works and righteouſneſs; See Tit. 3.5. Hearken diligently unto me, as if he ſhould have ſaid, And by a conſtant obſerving the direction of my word, you ſhall be ſure to prevent all ſuch miſtakes, and eat you that which is good, that is, that which is really good, that which is Bread indeed, that which will indeed procure Gods Love and Favour, comfort you here and preſerve you unto Life Eternal, and let your Soul delight it ſelf in fatneſs; that is, you ſhall have abundance of the choiceſt and chiefeſt good, even that which will fully delight and ſatisfie your So…ls; See the Note, Pſal. 36.8.
Ver. 3. Incline your Ear, and come unto me, &c.] See the Note above, ver. 1. and Pſal. 45.10. hear, and your Souls ſhall live, See the Note, Pſal. 22.26. and I will make an everlaſting Covenant with you, wherein is implyed. 1. A renewing and confirming of that Covenant of Grace, which God had made with their Fathers, in and through the Lord Chriſt; which was, for the ſubſtance of it, an everlaſting Covenant; as if he ſhould have ſaid, Though you have on your part broken Covenant with me, and though in the Babylonian Captivity I may ſeem to have caſt you off, and the Kingdom ſetled upon Davids Poſterity, may ſeem to be utterly ruined, yet fear not, I will renew and confirm that my Covenant with you. And, 2. The making of a new Covenant with them, to wit, the Covenant of the New Teſtament, confirmed with the blood of Chriſt, which though it were the ſame in ſubſtance, with that which God made with his People under the Old Teſtament, yet it was a new Covenant, in regard of the new manner of the diſpenſation of it many ways, and may be here called an everlaſting Covenant, in oppoſition to that which was before, becauſe it was to continue for ever, and not to be abrogated, as that which God made with the Jews was. As for the following words, even the ſure Mercies of David; ſome, by David, here underſtand Chriſt; as he is elſewhere called, Ezek. 34.25. and Hoſ. 3.5. becauſe he was that Meſſiah, whom God had promiſed of the ſeed of David; and accordingly, by the ſure Mercies of David, they underſtand thoſe ſtable Mercies which God had promiſed and covenanted, in and through the Lord Chriſt, the Mediator of the Covenant (See the Note, Chap. 49.18.) to confer upon his People. But again, others underſtand it of King David; and ſo by the ſure Mercies of David they underſtand, either Mercies that ſhould as ſurely be performed to his People, as thoſe were for which he had engaged himſelf by Covenant to David, or elſe, rather the very Mercies which he had promiſed to David, and in and through him, as the Father and Type of Chriſt, unto his Church and People; 2 Sam. 7. &c. and Pſal. 89.4, 35, &c. namely, that God would give unto David a Son that ſhould ſave his People, and that ſhould reign over them for ever. And hence it was that the Apoſtle Paul alledged this place to prove the Reſurrection of Chriſt, Act. 13.34. And as concerning that he raiſed him up from the Dead, now no more to return to Corruption, he ſaid on this wiſe, I will give you the ſure Mercies of David. For the Promiſe made to Chriſt, or to David concerning Chriſt, the Eternity of his Kingdom, and the Mercies he ſhould procure for his People, could not have taken effect, if after he was Crucified he had not been raiſed again from the dead.
Ver. 4. Behold, I have given him, &c.] To wit, Chriſt (See the Note, Chap. 9.6.] who in the foregoing Verſe was called David, or at leaſt intended as the Son and Succeſſour of David, the Mediator of the Covenant, the Mercies whereof are there called the ſure Mercies of David: I, ſaith God the Father, have ordained him for a witneſs to the People; that is, to make known, and teſtifie to the Gentiles the Counſel of God, concerning Mans Salvation, and by accompliſhing what God had foretold ſhould be, to teſtifie and make good the Faithfulneſs of God: Whence was that of our Saviour to Pilate? To this end was I born, and for this cauſe came I into the World, that I ſhould bear Witneſs unto the Truth, Joh. 18.37. A leader and commander to the People; that is, one that is to lead them in the way of Life, both by his Doctrine and Example, and whoſe commands, upon pain of Eternal Damnation, all men are bound to obey, Matth. 28.20.
Ver. 5. Behold, thou ſhalt call a Nation that thou knoweſt not, &c.] That is, Thou, O Chriſt, (for he it is that was ſpoken of in the foregoing Verſe) ſhalt effectually call in thoſe Nations to believe in thee, whom formerly thou didſt not own for thy People, nor didſt regard, or take any notice of, to wit, the Gentiles. And indeed this is that which David did long before ſay of himſelf, as he was a type of Chriſt, a People whom I have not known ſhall ſerve me, Pſal. 18.43. and Nations that knew not thee, that is, that had never heard of thee, and ſo had no knowledge of thee, but lived without God and without Chriſt in the world, Eph. 2.12. ſhall run unto thee; See the Note, Chap. 2.2. becauſe of the Lord thy God, and for the holy one of Iſrael; that is, becauſe the Lord thy God (which is ſpoken of Chriſt, with reſpect to his humane Nature) ſhall clearly manifeſt himſelf to be thy God, and thy Father, and ſhall make thy Miniſtry effectual, by convincing the Nations, that thou art true and very God, the Son of God ſent to ſave Sinners; for he hath glorified thee, to wit, by the miraculous paſſages at his Birth and Baptiſm, by his tranſcendent holineſs, and the Miracles that were wrought by him and his, and eſpecially after his Paſſion by his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, whereby the Nations were brought in to own Chriſt to be the only begotten Son of God, and Saviour of the World.
Ver. 6. Seek ye the Lord, &c.] The exhortation in the beginning of this Chapter is here further preſſed by the Prophet, namely, that Men ſhould diligently ſeek after that Grace and Reconciliation with God, which was tendered to them in Jeſus Chriſt: (Some would have it underſtood as ſpoken to the Gentiles only, of whom the Prophet had ſpoken in the foregoing Verſe; others as ſpoken to the Jews, by way of preſſing them to come in by the example of the forwardneſs of the Gentiles before mentioned. But it is rather generally ſpoken to all loſt and miſerable Sinners) Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, that is, immediately and without delay, whilſt yet Mercy and Pardon is tendered to you in the means of Grace, and God doth yet by his Spirit move you to accept of it. And to the ſame purpoſe is that which follows, call ye upon him while he is near; that is, whilſt he is near in the means and offers of Grace. But See the Notes alſo, Pſal. 32.6. and Prov. 1.28.
Ver. 7. Let the wicked forſake his way, &c.] This is added to ſhew, that though Reconciliation be freely tendered in Chriſt to the worſt of Sinners; yet it is tendered upon condition of unfeigned Repentance, and that without that no favour can be expected from God.
Ver. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, &c.] God having promiſed in the cloſe of the foregoing Verſe, that he would have Mercy on true Penitents, that would forſake their Sins and return to him, and that he would abundantly pardon them; leſt poor dejected Sinners ſhould ſcruple this, as judging of God according to what is uſual amongſt men, here he puts them in mind of the infinite diſproportion that is betwixt God and Man, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, ſaith the Lord; that is my thoughts and ways of pardoning and ſhewing mercy to Sinners, muſt not be meaſured by the thoughts and ways of mercy that are in men, towards thoſe that have offended them. 1. Men are many times inexorable: And, 2. Eſpecially in injuries of a higher Nature; And, 3. At leaſt they are hardly won to be reconciled, and will often have ſome conſiderable compenſation for the wrongs done them. And, 4. Their Reconciliations are ſeldom ſincere and perfect. And, 5. Though they be, yet through ſickleneſs they are in danger to repent of their Reconciliations, and to revive their old Quarrels. But now in all theſe it is quite contrary with God; See Exod. 34.6, 7. Matth. 12.21. I know ſome do otherwiſe underſtand theſe words: For they conceive that therein there is a reaſon given, why Sinners muſt abandon their former thoughts and ways, if they deſired that God ſhould be at peace with them; namely, becauſe their thoughts and ways were not Gods thoughts and ways; that is, ſuch as God had appointed their ways and thoughts ſhould be; or, becauſe there was ſuch a contrariety betwixt Gods thoughts and ways, which were all infinitely holy and juſt, and theirs that were ſo exceedingly ſinful and wicked. But this Expoſition cannot conſiſt with the following Verſe, whereby it is clear, that the tranſcendency of Gods Mercy above Mans is here intended.
Ver. 9. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth, ſo are my ways higher, &c.] That is, Incomprehenſibly higher; See the Notes, Pſal. 103.11. The diſtance betwixt Heaven and Earth doth not fully parallel the diſtance that is betwixt the Mercies of God and Man, becauſe Gods Mercies are infinite; but this expreſſion ſerves to ſet forth, that Gods Mercies are wonderful, far above Mans. One Man may exceed others in pity and tender compaſſion and readineſs to pardon Injuries, as far as the Mountains are above the Dales; but the higheſt Heavens are not ſo far above the Center of the Earth, as Gods Mercies are above all the Bowels of Mercy, that can be imaginably in the moſt merciful Men.
Ver. 10. For as the Rain, &c.] Here the Lord makes good what he had ſaid before concerning the greatneſs of his Mercy, by aſſuring them of the certainty of what he had promiſed them: For as the Rain cometh down, and the Snown from Heaven, and returneth not thither; to wit, without effecting that for which they were ſent by the God of Heaven; but watereth the Earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater; that is, that it may yield Men, not only plenty of Bread for food, but alſo ſufficient Seed for the following year. It is true that the Rain and Snow may in ſome Senſe be ſaid to return again to the Heavens, in the Vapours which from them are exhaled by the Sun, or blown up by the Winds, and ſo carried up into the Clouds. But this expreſſion here, of the Rain and the Snows, not returning again, intends no more, but that they never fail of effecting that for which pleas'd to ſhowr them down upon the Earth.
Ver. 11. So ſhall my word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth, &c.] That is, Every word which my Prophets ſhall deliver truly from me. Yet I conceive this is ſpoken here with particular reſpect to that promiſe which God had made them concerning their deliverance out of Babylon, and their Redemption by Chriſt ſignified thereby, and more eſpecially, that above, Ver. 7. concerning his pardoning penitent Sinners; it ſhall not return unto me void, &c. that is, without effecting what I have ſaid ſhall be.
Ver. 12. For ye ſhall go out with joy, &c.] This is mentioned as the word of promiſe, of which he had ſaid in the foregoing Verſe, that it ſhould not return void, but ſhould ſurely be accompliſhed; for which ſee the Notes, Chap. 52.11. and ye ſhall be led forth with peace, that is, ye ſhall be led along from Babylon to Judea peaceably and quietly; See the Notes, Chap. 52.11. under which alſo may be intended myſtically, that inward Peace which Chriſtians ſhould enjoy in their paſſage to Heaven. And there ſeems alſo to be an alluſion in the words, to the leading of the Iſraelites by a Pillar of Cloud, as they went through the Wilderneſs to Canaan: The Mountains and the Hills ſhall break forth before you into ſinging, and all the Trees of the Fields ſhall clap their Hands; that is, they ſhall rejoyce at your joy and welfare; See the Notes, Chap. 35.1. and 44.23. and 49. Yet there may be an Alluſion alſo in the words to the Mountains ringing with, and ecchoing back the joyful ſhouting and ſinging of Gods People; and to the pleaſant noiſe made in the Arms, the Branches and Twigs of the Trees, by the ſweet gales of Wind, which God ſhould ſend for the refreſhing of his People as they went along.
Ver. 13. Inſtead of the Thorn ſhall come up the Firr-Tree, and inſtead of the Briar ſhall come up the Myrtle-Tree, &c.] Some underſtand this of Gods making the way of the Jews in their return homeward from Babylon convenient and comfortable, and that they ſhould meet with nothing that ſhould be any an annoyance or hindrance to them, even as they ſhould go through thoſe vaſt barren Deſarts that lay in their way. And ſo they make this parallel with that Chap. 41.19. for which ſee the Note there. But then others again underſtand it, and I think better, of the mighty change that ſhould be in the Land of Judea, at their return thither. Having, ſay they, aſſured the Jews, that their return ſhould be ſafe and peaceable and comfortable; here the Prophet adds, That though their Land had ſo many years in their abſence lain deſolate, over-grown with Briars and Thorns for want of People to till the Ground; yet at their return home it ſhould be exceeding fruitful, abounding with all uſeful and pleaſant Trees and Plants; and that the Face of their Country and State ſhould be every way changed for the better. But for this, and how it may be alſo underſtood ſpiritually of the great change that ſhould be wrought amongſt Chriſts redeemed ones, in the days of the Goſpel, whereof their return out of Babylon was a type; See the Notes, Chap. 4.2. and 35.1, 2. and 49.11. and it ſhall be to the Lord for a name; that is, this deliverance and reſtitution of his Church and People, and this glorious change, that ſhall be wrought amongſt them, ſhall bring much Glory to God, for an everlaſting Sign, that ſhall not be cut off; that is, it ſhall be an Everlaſting monument of his glorious Power and Goodneſs to his People, by means whereof the Lord ſhall be for ever praiſed, and his People ſhall be confirmed in their confidence that God will never forſake them.